Guide Patti: As more and more people are raising children in earth-based and Goddess-focused traditions, where do you see Paganism going in the next twenty years? Is this next generation of Pagans and Wiccans going to carry on the traditions we're instilling in them now, or are they going to take things to another level, and create something completely new out of what we've taught them?
Dorothy Morrison: It's absurd to think that things will stay the same and that tradition will continue to thrive unembellished. In fact, it never has. It's a safe bet that the rituals we perform today are not even close to the ones performed during the earliest days of Paganism - no matter how hard we strive for authenticity. With a changing world of changing resources, it simply isn't possible. But that's okay. Creativity is the matrix from which all magic springs.
So with that in mind, I'd hope that future generations keep the Craft alive and well by using our traditions as a base, adding their own, and manifesting something even more valuable, more spiritual, and more magical.
Guide Patti: Sirona Knight asked Phyllis Curott a fantastic question in an interview, and I'd like to ask you a similar question because I have a feeling the answer will be very interesting. She said that Wiccan writers often have a powerful desire to make the world better, especially in terms of spiritual freedom, and this desire keeps them moving forward despite all kinds of obstacles and dangers. How would you describe the role of Dorothy Morrison in the modern movement?
Dorothy Morrison: I was once offered a position as spokesperson for fantasy computer game. The company was tried and true, they had a fabulous marketing plan in place, and the money was excellent. It was one of those offers I couldn't refuse. At least, not until I mentioned the offer to a very smart woman and she posed the following questions: "Do you want to be a sexy Witch who sells games on television, on billboards, and on city bus ads? Or do you want to be the down-to-earth Witch who's known for her practicality, good advice, sense of compassion, and devoted service to her community?"
I thought about it long and hard, and realized that I couldn't be both. But more importantly, I discovered that I didn't want to be both. I wanted to be who I was. And I simply couldn't do that while retaining an image that some marketing firm had dreamed up for me. Being myself - totally and completely unencumbered by anyone else's vision - was the only way that I'd ever truly be able to make a difference in anyone else's life or in the world in which we live. And whether we're writers or not, making a difference - even in some small way - is something I believe that we all strive toward. It's something that we all feel is necessary to our purpose on Earth. Otherwise, life would be meaningless; it would be nothing more than simple existence.
So, to that end, I see my role in the modern movement just as I see it everywhere else in my life. Simply put, it's to be myself: a real, live, practical and sassy human being with human flaws who loves humankind, gives advice and shares what she's learned, and does what she can to help others just because it's the right thing to do. And if I make a difference just by being who I am? Then at the end of it all, I can truly say that mine was a life worth living.
